Laikipia County Government has launched a rural ICT hub at Kiamariga Village in Laikipia West to bring computer and internet services closer to the people.
It is a joint venture that has been facilitated by the American Tower Corporation (ATC-K) and Safaricom to enhance wireless infrastructure and data connectivity in rural areas.
ATC Kenya is supporting the networks to a wide range of customers and helping them increase their network coverage and capacity.
Speaking during the launch of the ICT Hub centre at Kiamariga, Governor Joshua Irungu, ATC Kenya CEO George Ondenyo and Safaricom’s Officer in Charge of networks implementation James Langat, said the centre will offer to transform the lives of local people by bringing crucial services to them through internet and data connectivity.
Through the project, they will be able to access all government services, digital learning, and other online jobs.
They observed that the ICT rural hubs will be local computer libraries established in rural and underserved areas as learning centers to provide ICT skills.
The ICT Centre will be a learning center, and training facility for both the students and the local community in the general use of ICT.
Leaders called on the youth to make good use of their innovation, creativity, and the available technology to communicate to curb the challenges and at the same time appreciate the opportunities that come with regional integration.
“I want to encourage our farmers to take advantage of the emerging digital agribusiness solutions to double their yield and make a meaningful living.
“The various digital agribusiness platforms consist of applications and solutions built to solve challenges facing players within the agricultural sector and hence enable them to maximize their profits,” said ATC Kenya CEO George Ondenyo.
Governor Irungu noted that the digital agribusiness platforms are to help establish linkages between farmers and potential buyers, farm input or output market services, hence the need for smallholder farmers in the region to embrace them.
“This hub can be used as a training centre for computer studies and online work by our youths and start earning a living. They don’t have to travel to far-flung areas to access TVET centres for computer classes. They can learn here for free,” said Governor Irungu.
By Antony Mwangi
